In caring for patients, the care-giver is often exposed to unpleasant odors which make the work environment unpleasant. The use of medications that have a strong odor or which cause the patient to exude an odor presents a real problem for health care workers, since it is not possible, by cleaning the environment, to avoid effects of such odors. One such medication is dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), which is presently being used to treat a number of conditions, including closed head injuries. Health care workers required to work in the environment where these patients are treated find the odor quite objectionable and often intolerable.
In other instances, patients, because of their disease condition, exude an odor that is objectionable. It is difficult for both the health care worker and for the patient in such instances, since the worker who would like to give supportive care has difficulty disregarding the odor which may actually be sufficiently objectionable to make to worker feel ill.
There are, additionally, many industrial and law-enforcement environments where workers are exposed to such strong odors that the workers may become ill. Such workers include morticians, pathologists, tannery workers, slaughter house workers, etc. The use of masks that would mitigate some of the unpleasantness in such work situations can greatly increase comfort and productivity of workers. Masks are made of several materials. However, protective masks are usually divided into two types: molded masks (which may be rigid or semirigid) and flexible masks. The masks may be made of woven or non-woven material which allows the ready passage of air. For purposes of the invention, either mask may be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,799 discloses a transparent odor-free face mask which has been treated with an odor-masking material. The odor-masking material is not mixed with a fixative and placed on an absorbent layer of material which acts as a support in the manner taught herein. While the structure of the mask is suggested, no particular odor-masking material is suggested or exemplified.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,851 discloses a mask which requires a sealed envelop impervious to volatile substances. The envelop which is sealed before use contains an odor-masking substance. When the seal of the envelop is removed and the mask is in use, the volatile substances mix with the air that is inhaled. In one instance, the mask has an aperture in the mask containing an envelop which is sealed on both outer and inner mask surfaces. When at least one seal on the envelop is broken, the volatile material in the envelop mixes with the air being inhaled when the face mask is in use. In another embodiment disclosed therein a mask having a woven cover has an envelop attached to the inside. That envelop has an absorbent layer that has been impregnated with a fragrance. The envelop has a layer that is perforated to allow the volatile material to evaporate. No use of any particular odor masking material is suggested therein. Only the structure of the mask itself is addressed in the patent.
Cain and Drexler (Ann. N Y Acad. Sci, (1974) pp. 427-439) discuss the use of odors to counteract and mask odors, including additive effects and synergism.